Hermetically sealed, self-lubricating slide bearing



Feb. 22, 1949. G. c. MOLOTZAK I HERMETIGALLY SEALED, SELF-LUBRICATINGSLIDE BEARING Filed April '7, 1947 Inventor George C. Mo/ofzak indicatedat a in Figure 3.

Patented Feb. 194

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HERMETICALLY SEALED, SELF-LUBRIQAT- INGSLIDE BEARING 1 3 Claims. ihis invention relates to an improved slidebearing for reciprocating machine parts, and the primary object of theinvention is to provide a bearing of this kind which is hermeticallysealed to prevent entrance of dust and other injurious foreign matterbetween the parts of the bearing, and which is so constructed as torender the bearing self-lubricating.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a bearing of theabove kind which is comparatively simple and durable in construction;and highly eficient in operation.

The exact nature of the present invention will become apparent from thefollowing description -when considered in connection with the accom- 1panying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view, partly in elevation and partly inlongitudinal section, showing a slide bearing constructed in accordancewith the present invention.

Figures 2 and 3 are transverse sectional views taken respectively online 2-2 and line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the present {invention relates to aslide bearing for a reciprocating machine part indicated by dotted lines:at 5, the bearing including a stationary guide rod 6 and a bearingsleeve 5 reciprocable n the guide rod 8.

metal bellows 8 is provided which hermetically seals each end of thebearing sleeve l to the guide rod 5, and which contains a quantity oflubricant Each bellows 8 has a fluid-tight connection at its outer endwith the guide rod 5, such connection including a collar 9 tightlyfitted and secured on the guide rod 2 and having the outer end of theassociated bel L-lows 8 welded or otherwise attached thereto so as toform a fluid-tight joint. Each bellows also has a fluid-tight connectionat its inner end with the adjacent end of the bearing sleeve l, thelatter connection also preferably including col Ilar it tightly fittedand secured on the adjacent end of bearing sleeve 3 and having the innerend of the associated bellows 8 welded or otherwise secured thereto soas to form a fluid-tight joint. The bearing sleeve is preferablyprovided with an internal longitudinally extending groove it which o ensthrough opposite ends of the bearing sleeve 1 and places the bellows 3,8 in communication with each other through the restricted passageafforded by the groove H. The groove H may be strai ht, as shown, or itmay be of gradua1 helical form, its purpose being to facilitate flow oflubricant between the contiguous surfaces of the guide rod and thebearing sleeve passage of lubricant from one bellows to the other.

In operation, upon reciprocation of the bearing sleeve with the machinepart 5 and upon the guide rod 6, the two bellows 6 will alternatelyforce the lubricant therefrom to and between the guide rod and thebearing sleeve. For instance, upon movement of the machine part 5 andbear sleeve l to the right of Figure l, the right-- l bellows E will becollapsed and the left-hand bellows 3 will be expanded. This causes thelubricant in the right-hand bellows 8 to'be forced and drawn from thelatter through the groove H into the left-hand bellows, some of thelubricant flowing from groove I l around the guide rod s between thecontiguous surfaces of guide rod 5 and sleeve '5. When the machine part5 and bearing sleeve '3 move to the left of Figure 1, the the reverse ofthis operation takes place, the lefthand bellows being collapsed and theright-hand bellows being expanded. In this way, a constant supply oflubricant is forced between the guide rod and the bearing sleeve so asto lubricate their coacting surfaces and minimize wear, as well as toinsure free movement of the machine [part and the bearing sleeve. Due tothe hermetic seal between each end of the bearing sleeve and the guiderod, dust and other detrimental foreign matter are excluded from betweenthe contiguous surfaces of the guide rod and the bearing sleeve. Thebearing will be effectively 1ubricated over a substantially indefinitelength of time, and the bearing will have a long continued period ofusefulness. Any suitable means may be provided to facilitateintroduction of the lubricant into the bellows or for draining lubricanttherefrom when renewal of the lubricant may be deemed desirable. Itwill, of course, be understood that the machine part may be equippedwith a plurality of the slide bearings, and that the invention isapplicable to various machines in which slide bearings are employed.

What I claim is:

l. The combination with a stationary guide rod, and a heroin sleeverecip-rocable thereon, of a metal bellows hermetically sealing each endof said bearing sleeve to the guide rod and containing a quantity oflubricant, each bellows having a fluid-tight connection at its outer endwith the guide rod and at its inner end with the adjacent end of bearingsleeve, whereby, upon reciprocation of the bearing sleeve, the bellowswill alternately force the lubricant therefrom to tity of lubricant;each bellows having a fluidtight connection at its outer end with therod element and at its inner end with the adjacent and of the bearingsleeve element, whereby, upon reciprocation of the reciprocable element,the bellows will alternately force the lubricant therefrom to andbetween said rod element and said bearing sleeve element. 7

GEORGE C. MOLOTZAK.

No references cited.

